Forget the Golden Globes and the Oscar’s – this year’s awards season is all about who’s got Game. Nola Pictures’ Bruce Hurwit recently teamed up with longtime partner, Cartoon Network, to create “Training,” a clever spot starring Shaquille O’Neill and Nick Cannon for the Cartoon Network Hall of Game Awards. The fast-paced and off-the-cuff ad jumps from a delightfully left-field introduction to a slapstick training montage, allowing the two co-hosts show off their comedic chops with a madcap workout.

“I’m very lucky to have been involved with Cartoon Network since their beginning,” noted director Bruce Hurwit. Indeed, “Training” is just one of the spots produced by Nola for the Hall of Game Awards, following an earlier piece that introduced Nick Cannon as a surprise co-host. The Hall of Game Awards is a first-of-its-kind, sports award and entertainment event for kids where celebrities are honored with the coveted GAME trophy and this year’s campaign gleefully adopts that same self-referential and boffo tone.

Taking a direction more rooted in classic buddy comedy humor than the surreal and absurdist work of the 2012 campaign – which also featured Shaq – Hurwit worked closely with the actors to give “Training” an informal and easy feel. “We stuck pretty close to the script for the most part, but Shaq always brings new ideas to the table. He’s very aware of what goes into directing, which also makes him thoughtful of how things will cut together. There really isn’t much more you can ask for,” recalled Hurwit.

“The chemistry between Nick and Shaq is amazing,” continued Hurwit, “they’re longtime friends, so it added so much to the piece. They’re both so fun to work with that it barely feels like working, making for an enjoyable shoot.”